


Rules

by purplefox



Series: KakaNaru week 2016 [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-08-17 10:47:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8141096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplefox/pseuds/purplefox
Summary: The shinobi world is built on rules





	

Kakashi stood and believed in many things. Their shinobi world was one full of trials and pain but he did believe there were ways to survive it. He knew that for order to exist. There needed to be rules. He honestly believed that one had to impose rules on their selves as well. In order to be the best they could be. In order for things to run smoothly.

Personal rules were different. No one else had to follow them. They were part of that person’s code. Their beliefs and Kakashi believed in his own set of rules. It spread to his teaching. It spread to how he lived his life. His own personal rules had him try to make the world, make the place better.

By treasuring important things. By treating his body and other’s bodies well. And sometimes the rules he had for himself and the rules of his world collided.

The shinobi limitations. They were good rules to live by but Kakashi had seen many strong shinobi break them constantly. The first Hokage gambled. The Godaime still did. The Sandaime had enjoyed drinking and lechery. Jiraiya-sama had broken pretty much all the shinobi limitation rules. Even Minato-sensei got caught up in gambling. Not to the extent that Tsunade-sama did but… his losses had been noteworthy.

The only rule Kakashi refused to break was the one he shared with Obito. That he passed on and that one he refused to break. It seemed like such a straightforward rule. Such an easy rule. A rule that made you value something. Minato-sensei had said that if you did not find something to fight for then technically you were weak and lost.

Value your friends. Protect your friends. For the sake of his friends Kakashi would put himself to the test, to his very limits. That rule of his, of Obito’s it made him a better person and it put him closer to Obito or at least he hoped it did because he hoped that he would be able to look at Obito once more and hear approval for everything he had done. He wanted… he needed for Obito’s eye to reflect the good in the world, for Obito’s eye to guide him.

He had to be a good Jounin, he needed to be and he had to see that his beliefs amounted for something. It would start with one person but the generations after would reflect that kindness that belief. Those he had mentored and taught all had their various beliefs but they all had their friends. That was honestly all he could have asked for.

No, not exactly true because Naruto was everything that Kakashi could have asked for.

Naruto had his own rules, Kakashi had been pleasantly amused by his team and had been looking forward to their growth until that unexpected A rank mission. Naruto’s thoughts about Zabuza and Haku… Naruto’s liking of them and thoughts about them had changed Kakashi as well.

To never give up. when Naruto had made his own rules to follow Kakashi had felt something shift in his chest. Admittedly he had thought back to his old team he had wondered if that moment would spark the biggest change and he had been right.

Naruto’s feelings, his compassion for Zabuza and Haku had changed him in the biggest way. Naruto was like the sun and Kakashi had felt warmth in his heart when Naruto had made his decision about Zabuza and Haku. He had reminded Kakashi of his parents at that moment but at that moment Naruto had emerged as his own person as well. Minato-sensei’s conviction was hereditary and Kushina-san’s… strong emotions but Naruto’s compassion and his combination of beliefs were Naruto’s alone born from his experiences.

So Kakashi had felt himself change at that moment as well. A shinobi with more compassion than most of them, who offered understanding and more help than a quick merciful death, he for a moment saw that sort of person in Naruto and he became transfixed.

On the way back from Konoha he was amused at himself and unable to take his eyes from Naruto’s back. He had missed the fight in the Chuunin exams that Naruto had taken to heart but he had savoured the change in Naruto and felt change in himself deep down.

The shinobi in Konoha, stuck in their own ways and blind in the darkness of the village, they were weak to the bright sun that was Naruto. Weak to Naruto’s optimism and hope. The brightness of Naruto was something he wanted to see and even in his own grief Kakashi wanted to protect him.

Naruto’s determination and sheer need to help and protect his friends, he drew them to him. Kakashi had not missed the way the young Shikamaru had watched after Naruto’s back, he certainly had not missed the way Sakura’s and Sasuke’s attitude’s changed towards him and how Gai’s team had gained a…grudging interest in him.

By the time Naruto had left the village the bonds he had forged had soothed his heart. It was something for Obito to see, it was something that Obito would have done. The ability to connect to others, just like Obito, Naruto had it. Kakashi had his own way and although he borrowed many aspects of Obito, he was not Obito and he did not want to be, he just wanted his friend close to him by any means necessary.

But Naruto was also his friend and with every rule Naruto created for himself Kakashi felt his heart warm. It was not as if nothing got Naruto down, it was that it never kept him down and that filled Kakashi with admiration and pride.

Naruto’s determination to never go back on his word… that rule had haunted him. The ways it affected those around him, he would have had to be blind to miss how that rule had affected Hinata. Naruto’s way of the ninja, it like Naruto was filled with light and Kakashi had to admit that of all of Naruto’s shinobi rules… it was the one he loved the most.

Because of that rule Naruto seemed more mature, older and before Kakashi he became a leader, not an arrogant one although Naruto had his moments but Naruto worked with a team and it was obvious that he preferred a team. He listened to those he knew had good advice to give, he gave way when he knew he was not adequate enough and Kakashi always was reminded of the Sandaime in the office or even Minato-sensei when he saw Naruto do that.

But the rule that he and Naruto shared, that rule connected them and that rule, to never abandon a friend that was the rule that bonded them to each other as more than teacher and student. They were friends who wanted to save all their friends. Of course he had miscalculated a bit.

He had forgotten that he was a friend for a while and went to make a sacrifice of himself. He had known Naruto would not stand for it, pretty much the reason he had not told Naruto goodbye face to face. Still he could not say that he regretted waking up to Naruto’s voice. The only thing that had bothered him was Naruto’s distress and so he had gotten up, moved his tired limbs and dived right into battle, backing Naruto up.

It was hard to be mad for long when he saw how far his words had taken root. Naruto had come to save him and Kakashi had wondered what Obito would have done, if they had all made it out that day how would they have celebrated? That question had plagued him for a while but the pain had lessened.

With Naruto next to him, smug in the knowledge that he had saved Kakashi and managed the task assigned to him, Kakashi had felt his heart melt once more. Naruto was more than a friend. More than the world’s hope to him but of course he had lacked the words to say it properly.

Naruto went his own way and did his own thing a lot but his loyalty could never be doubted and that made Kakashi happy at the same time that it made his hands feel lonely.

X

Their world was made of rules and positions of power had rules imbedded deep in them, most of the rules were unspoken. When in power, you did not take advantage it just was not done, less a rule and more common sense but still…

There were many unspoken teacher rules. How to treat your students... they varied obviously but everyone had similar enough rules. Most saw their students as family or their own children, Kakashi saw them as subordinates and friends for the simple reason that he knew one day he would be surpassed.

Protect them, even from themselves… well he had failed with Sasuke but Kakashi liked to think he had done well enough, his talks with Sakura had to have helped at least a little and with Naruto… well the protect even from themselves rule had certainly been shown.

Even though that occasion could have been read as him fleeing. He had not been of course he had just saved Naruto from himself. Naruto had no idea what he had been doing and so Kakashi had saved him from himself. Nothing changed after that, any lingering glances or hands were purely nonsense and an overactive imagination.

X

So he lied, he was shinobi, deception was their trade. He had broken that unspoken rule for students and teachers, he already felt guilty. He already tortured himself over it. He already had done ever apology possible to every god he knew and to the graves of the people that had counted on him.

But he could not say that if he had known it would lead to this that he would have changed a thing. He had gotten such peace, he had gotten so happy from everything that he could not say he could be unselfish and give it all up.

From the beginning they had been more, their bond had been different. Naruto had been his sensei’s son, a trusted subordinate, a good friend, the symbol of Jiraiya-sama’s hope, the village’s hero and he kept shining brighter and brighter the longer Kakashi looked at him and with the way he was accepted and cared for by Naruto he had lost his heart.

It had been an important rule, unspoken but very important, the consequences of breaking it… still he had continued the way he had and when he felt the warmth of Naruto’s hand he accepted the damnation.

It had been an important rule and in the end when he broke it he ended up not caring after all. He had not forgotten the gap between them, he had satisfied himself with simple innocent things. Soft kisses to the wrist and nothing more he had been determined to wait he had broken that unspoken rule and put another in its place.

X

That one rule he had taken onto himself in order to honour Obito, as long as he did not break it he was still fine. The person he had been, he was still making up for it, those years where he had spiralled down and caused disaster as long as he carried on Obito’s will then he was doing fine.

Never again would a friend be left behind but he would not sacrifice the future either. A hard decision but one he was willing to make by working in the shadows, all the pain, the hatred and blood he was willing to take it onto himself.

Which was maybe why he and Naruto got along so well, like him Naruto was willing to carry it all, the hatred, the pain, the loss, everything in order to walk down the path to the future and the bright sun.

So maybe it was when Naruto had saved it, maybe it was that moment right there that had finally sealed his fate, that moment when he had opened his eyes and saw Naruto was strong enough to save his friends and not compromise the future without sacrifices, maybe it was that moment that Kakashi had seen that he had been wrong to sacrifice himself.

X

The world of shinobi had many rules and so did life, so did love. There were many unspoken rules and many guidelines. Naruto was not one to follow the rules and neither was Kakashi but just as they had their own shinobi rules they refused to break, they had their own rules in love that they would not consider breaking.

Their lives were not easy ones but their love was built on trust, in each other’s abilities and each other’s feelings and that was how they made it work. It did not hurt that they were a team, it just made things easier.

X

 

Naruto’s own rules came from him observing, from his listening to others and their stories and witnessing their pain, from him learning of other rules and feeling how wrong they were. He made his own rules because he knew that he could not accept the others.

He was no tool and on the graves of Haku and Zabuza he swore to become strong and go his own way to achieve his dream. He was thankful for those who came before him and their rules, never resentful because they helped him find himself and the path he should take for himself, some of the rules he learned were perfect the way they were.

Kakashi-sensei’s rule about friends, it applied to his everyday life and when he looked back he could mark that moment as yet another moment in his life that had been a step towards saving him and keeping him human, keeping him Uzumaki Naruto.

He and Kakashi-sensei were more alike than most people thought, their shared rule and shared will created a bond between them that as long as they kept that rule, that bond would never be broken, it had been tested when Kakashi-sensei had foolishly sacrificed himself.

Or at least when he had tried to.

But instead of breaking their bond had changed and Naruto could not regret what he had gained in return, a friend at his back and someone that understood him, someone that shared his feelings.

He honestly felt that their love had no rules because their love came from their friendship, their friendship had no real rules that one could speak of. It just was, they supported each other, communicated and understood each other, sometimes words were not even necessary. Kakashi-sensei knew him and how he operated and in return, he had gotten pretty good at figuring out Kakashi-sensei’s moves.

It was hard to describe his love for the man because he had nothing to compare it to, he went from nothing to everything, lack to possession. Their love filled a part of him he had not even known was empty and that said a lot about them.

No, that was not it either, it was more like with Kakashi-sensei he got a glimpse of a bigger picture, of a bigger world. That was what it was like. Their understanding of each other, their shared will and bond had slowly led them to the point that for him there was no one else he would rather live the rest of his life with.

Everything that he was he wanted to give to Kakashi-sensei and everything the man wanted to give to him he wanted to take.

X

There was one last rule between them a sort of promise. It had been made on the dawn when the new beginning for the entire world had begun.

“No matter what, equals.”

Their last rule and that rule, that was one rule Naruto knew he would never forget and one he would always believe in.

X

Kakashi smiled as he stood in the corridor to watch Naruto’s approach, he sensed the crowd outside but he could not tear his eyes away from the sight that faced him, the Hokage succession robes were stunning on Naruto, he could not tear his eyes away.

Naruto stopped before him and Kakashi dropped to one knee his free hand seeking Naruto’s while his other pulled down his mask. Naruto sighed at the kiss he pressed to the wrist but it was Kakashi’s habit. Naruto pulled him back up with a laugh and the kiss Naruto returned made Kakashi’s heart skip in his chest.

“One last thing.” Naruto whispered. “Everything that comes at us…”

“Let’s face it.” Kakashi finished. “Together.” He guessed that could be the final, final rule for them.

 


End file.
